Running From Lions
by BreakOutBreakOutBreakOut
Summary: Laura and her best friend, Hannah, have just begun a journey on tour and there's no telling what could happen. ATL Fanfic
1. Chapter 1

**Running From Lions: Introduction**

As I folded the last of my clothes & placed them into my suitcase, I reflected on my years in this town. So much had happened. I had experienced my father's battle with & loss to cancer that ended when I was barely fourteen, a handful of rocky relationships, & my dearest guy friend's suicide when I was sixteen. Six years having passed since that final day, things are different now. Tomorrow, my best friend, Hannah, & I are departing for our first tour, after having graduated from Full Sail University. Our boss, Reggie, said he had us lined up to co-manage a band on tour, and refused to tell us any more than that, and that we would have a great time, despite our nerves. Since it was our first tour, we'd be working side-by-side with an already established and seasoned tour manager. We slithered into the bed we had shared at her house during our teenage years, the bed we hadn't returned to in quite some time. I drifted off to sleep with a million questions flying through my mind.

The alarm blared, jolting me from my slumber, yet leaving me foggy. _Fuck_, I thought. It was barly 4:30am, and we had a flight to catch. Hannah and I shared a warm, secret smile, and rose to dress for the occasion. I slipped into some ripped up skinny jeans and my tour shirt from Gamechangers, back during my senior year. It was my security blanket in unsure times. We gathered the last of our bags, stuffed our feet in worn and torn Converse, and hugged warm goodbyes with her family. We piled our things into my Outback and drove excitedly out of her quaint neighborhood. We spent the next two hours on our way to the airport, blasting All Time Low and chatting hopefully of our upcoming adventure. After having settled onto the plane, I stuffed my earphones in and stared out the window, humming along to my favorite song, wondering what I was about to face...

_We've got these big city dreams_...

**Running From Lions: Chapter One**

We had landed. Hannah and I snatched up our carry-ons and filed out into the airport. Reggie was waiting for us with two bouquets of flowers.

"Welcome to Baltimore, ladies, " he said with a kind smile. "Go on and fetch your things, and we'll get a move on."

We did as we were told and stepped out into the mild Maryland air.

"You guys will be leaving as soon as we can get you to the bus and settled in, " Reggie informed us.

"So quickly?" Hannah's little voice peeped.

"Welcome to tour life. Get your shit and get out," Reggie was a smart ass with a tendency to use Jeff Dunham jokes in completely inappropriate settings.

We chuckled and sunk into the seats of my car, the transportation fees for which wonderful Reggie had paid. He put the address of our destination into my GPS system and I hit the gas. Our destination, as it turns out, was an empty gas station parking lot. I swung in, noting the large black tour bus. The reality of what was about to happen was finally sinking in.

"Wait here," Reggie instructed. I turned to face Hannah, and we both shrugged and stayed where we were. Five or so minutes later, he returned.

"They're ready for you. Keys?"

"You swear on your life you'll take care of my baby? So much as a scratch, and I swear to God..."

"I swear! I fucking swear!" He yelled, laughing, as I jabbed him in the arm with my index finger. I wrestled him into a hug.

"I'm gonna miss you, man," I murmured into his shoulder.

"Hey, it's only a month. You'll have fun, I promise."

We said our final goodbyes, and Hannah and I grabbed our bags and made our way to the bus at the far end of the lot.

"Hello?" I called as I stuck my head into the open door.

"Well hey there," a somewhat familiar voice returned from inside.

I stepped up and peered inside to find the man who had spoken.

"Hi, I'm Alex," he said with a friendly grin.

"H-h-hiiii. Oh my God! WHAT THE FUCK!" I squealed. I turned to Hannah and we shared a look. _Fucking Reggie!_

"Surprise!" Alex exclaimed, chuckling to himself at our excitement.

I held out my hand to him.

"It's seriously so amazing to meet you," I admitted sheepishly, blushing. "I'm Laura, and this is my best friend, Hannah. We've been huge fans for most of our lives. I still cannot believe this opportunity."

Hannah shook his hand next, blushing, and seeming to be beyond words. Finally, she spoke.

"I'm Hannah. It's so great to meet you!" She squeaked with excitement.

"It's wonderful to meet you both! Why don't you come inside to meet the rest of the gang. I'll grab your things and bring them in for you," Alex offered.

We made our way into the bus, and were nearly barreled into by a barrage of dudes.

From Zack, to Jack, to Matt, Danny, and Evan, the guys introduced themselves one by one, each offering a warm hug. We had embarked on an adventure and there was no telling what would happen next.

_the dedication takes a lifetime, but dreams only last for a night..._


	2. Chapter 2

**Running From Lions: Chapter 2**

We had hit the road, and were on our way to Virginia for the first date on the tour. Hannah and I had stashed our bags away and settled down in the front of the bus, and were chatting with Matt and Evan.

"So, do you guys have boyfriends back home?" Matt inquired.

"Not anymore. I've been single for quite a while, and she just got out of a long-term relationship," I replied.

Matt nodded, and Evan smiled slyly.

"Does this please the Kirkenbunny?" I asked, with a mischievous grin.

"I-I….uh…well…" He blushed, and left to join Jack and Zack for a game of Halo.

Hannah, Matt and I chuckled.

"I'm gonna go see how that Halo game's going," Hannah announced, then wandered off to the back of the bus.

"Are you excited?" Matt broke the silence.

"For this? The tour?"

"Yeah."

"More than you know. I've loved All Time Low for years, and I've wanted to tour manage since I was seventeen. Hannah and I went to Full Sail together, and look at the opportunity we've been given, fresh out. I can't really wrap my head around it yet. I'm especially happy that my best friend's been through it all with me. She opens me up, keeps me sane. I don't know that I'd have come this far without her."

"It sounds like you really love her."

"I do. So much. She's the most beautiful person I know, inside and out."

"Well, to celebrate you two very beautiful women being with us on our journey, we're having a bus party tonight."

"Oh God, you're letting Alex and Vinny near alcohol?"

We laughed, and I stood up to stretch. I heard someone behind me clear his throat, and I turned to find Zack standing there.

"Hey Zack," I said with a cheery smile.

"You wanna go get some coffee and explore a bit? I need to get the hell out of this bus," he said with a chuckle.

"Sure, let me grab a jacket and we can go." I made my way back to my bunk where my Glamour Kills hoodie was lying across my pillow. I slid it on over my shirt and stepped into my Converse.

"Ready?" Zack asked, when I emerged at the front of the bus.

"Yup!"

We stepped out into the slightly crisp Virginia air and started off down the sidewalk of a quaint neighborhood.

"So how long have you wanted to do this?" Zack turned to me, stuffing his hands into his jacket pocket.

"Oh, since around the beginning of my senior year of high school. That's when Hannah and I decided on going to Full Sail."

"That's awesome that you got to follow your dream with your best friend. That kinda thing rarely happens. Do you ever worry about relationships, with being on the road all the time and stuff?"

"Eh, on occasion. But I kinda have always seen myself with a band guy, ya know? That's just kinda "my type", and we'll both have the same lifestyle."

"That makes sense." Zack chuckled to himself.

"What?"

"Oh nothing…"

"Zack."

"Fine, but you can't say anything, okay?"

"Just tell me, Zack," I pried with a suspicious grin on my face.

"Alex likes you."

"What?"

"It's pretty self-explanatory."

"Yeah, I know, but WHAT THE HELL?" The few people who were out on the streets were eying us curiously at this point.

"He tends to know what he wants the minute he sees it. Do you like him?"

"Well I don't even really know him, Zack…But he is cute."

"Start with that. We should be getting back for the fiesta. Talk to him then. The alcohol should loosen you guys up," he chortled, with a wink.

"Oh, stop it," I giggled, punching him lightly in the arm. Zack was easy to be around. Comfortable. This was going to be fun.

_I'm ready to get caught up in the moment, and not in the right way…_


	3. Chapter 3

**Running From Lions Chapter Three**

"Let's get this fuckin' party started!" Jack came dancing towards the front of the bus, where Zack and I had just reappeared. Alex pranced behind him, lugging several bottles of alcohol, and was followed by Alex Grieco carrying two cases of Coors Light. Alex placed the bottles on the counter and pulled me over by my hand.

"Pick your poison, baby," he gestured towards the selection of hard liquor.

"Hmm, I think I'm gonna have to go with the Cuervo."

"Oh, you're _that_ kind of girl, are you?" he grinned coyly.

"If you're gonna put it that way, I'll have one of each."

He lifted his eyebrows at me, then proceeded to pull four shot glasses from the cupboard. Pouring a shot each of Sailor Jerry, Jose Cuervo, Jack Daniels, and Skyy into their respective shot glasses, he looked at me with one eyebrow raised and a playful smirk across his face. I downed them all with no trouble and winked at him.

"Hannah! Come get some of this!" I hollered, pulling my best friend forward, and pouring her a shot of tequila. She tossed it back and returned Jack's high five. Matt plugged his iPod into the bus speaker system and blasted Ke$ha, which prompted the boys to take off most of their clothing and dance like handicapped kindergarteners. Throughout the night, there was an abundance of shotgunned beers, dancing, yelling, falling and group-hugging. I made my way outside, and lay down on the sidewalk with a beer, watching the stars. Suddenly, someone was next to me. I turned, and was face to face with Alex.

"Hi there," I smiled.

"Well hey. What are you doing out here?"

"Just getting some fresh air. I could say the same thing to you, you know."

"True. If I said I was doing the same thing, would you believe me?"

"Not on a bet, Gaskarth." I grinned widely. Suddenly, he was on top of me, straddling me, and my arms were pinned on the concrete above my head.

"What do you know, infidel!" he giggled, mere centimeters from my fletace.

"Well….I _may_ know something…"

"Yeah? What did they tell you?"

"Well, it went a little something like this…" And I placed my lips on his. At first, he froze with shock, then placed his hands on my face and kissed back. His fingers wound through the hair at the back of my head and I pulled on the front of his hoodie. We pulled away slowly, and just looked at each other for a minute.

"Wow…" I said, out of breath.

"You're telling me…" He smiled sweetly. "Let's head back."

He somehow stood and swept me into his arms all in one fell swoop, planting a sweet kiss on my lips before reuniting my feet with the concrete. I kept my eyes on the ground as we walked back to the bus, until I felt his fingers lace between mine, when I looked up at him smiling down at me. He squeezed my hand tighter and led me up into the bus.

_I've never made a bet, but we're gambling with desire…_


End file.
